Federation/Branch Reports

On June 8th & 9th, 2018, 106 kenshi coming from U.S. and Canada participated in the North American Shorinji Kempo Training Camp at the Astro Gym of Seattle University, Seattle, WA. The branches are: Ann Arbor, Asheville, BC Tozenji, Berkeley, Boston, Downtown New York, East Portland, Los Angeles, Monterey, Mt. Diablo, Northern Utah, Orange County, Peninsula, Portland, Quad Cities, Salem, San Francisco, Seattle, Seattle University, Silicon Valley, South Bay, South Florida, Vancouver, Vancouver Pacific, Yuma, and World Bank. Mr. Kazuhiro Kawashima sensei, Secretary General of the World Shorinji Kempo Federation, was the main instructor. For 2 days, we practiced from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and enjoyed all practice together: Kihon, Hokei, Unyoho, and Embu.

At the evening of June 9th, we had a dinner party at the Chinese Restaurant at the beautiful Seattle Harbor. We enjoyed having delicious meals and drinks as well as enjoying fun conversation together.

<The 6th North American Shorinji Kempo Taikai>
On June 10th (Sun), 2018, the 6th North American Shorinji Kempo Taikai was conducted with 152 kenshi attendees. There were 2 categories: Competition & Exhibition Divisions.
After the Taikai opened at 9 a.m., more than 100 audiences enjoyed watching and were very impressed with techniques with sharp movement and big Kiai. After every Embu or Unyoho was finished, the audiences gave big hands to kenshis.

After the closing ceremony, all kenshi praised each other and promised to meet at the next Study Session and the Taikai next ear.

United States Shorinji Kempo Federation really appreciate all the participants’ precious time and passion to Shorinji Kempo!

On 28 and 29 April 2018 was organized on XXIII Italian National Gasshuku “ITALIA 2018” at the Palazzetto dello Sport “PalaFerraris”, Casale Monferrato (AL).
This event was attended by around 250 people, including Sensei and Kenshi, and friends from other parts of Europe (England, France, Germany, Sweden).
The inevitable presence of all Italian Branch Masters and especially the presence of Hiroshi Aosaka Sensei (9° Dan Daihanshi), from France, always regular guests of all our National events.
This event, being an official Seminar of SHORINJI KEMPO UNITY, in addition to practice, was also given a lot of importance to the philosophical part, personally supervised by Sensei Aosaka that we remember he is the Director of the WSKO European Office.
For the technical practice he was helped by Sensei Nobutaka Mukaida (7° Dan Seihanshi (President of Nara Prefecture – WSKO Instructor) and Sensei Mayumi Okuda (5° Dan Daikenshi (Vice President of Nara Prefecture).

The workouts are started on April 28 afternoon with Chinkon-Gyo then, were performed Kihon and Hokei, alternately, by the various Branch Masters.
Then during the course of the morning there was divided by degrees where everyone has rehearsed its technical program, always under the supervision of Aosaka Sensei and Mukaida Sensei who alternated in and in-depth explanations of the various techniques.
The next day, the workout restarted in the same way on Saturday, always alternating moments of Howa. After the final greetings and gifts delivery, on the afternoon of Sunday 29, the works were completed.

On April 28 morning, Taikai was held. There were all the specialties and this year we introduced the randori / un’yoho. There were about 100 athletes from all over Italy involved in Kumi Embu competitions in pairs, Kumi Embu Tan-en and Randori.

We thank all those who helped for the success of the event, all the teachers and athletes who have come from all over Italy with the hope to meet again in the next European Taikai in Sweden in July 2019.

We were also pleased to host during the time of Solidarity to support the “Associazione Pulmino Amico Onlus” of Casale Monferrato that provides free transportation to patients through the work of professionals and volunteers carefully selected, trained and coordinated with the aim of providing the patient and the his family a human and psychological help.

The 33rd Paris Martial Arts Festival, one of the most famous and the biggest martial arts show in the world was held. Hiroshi Aosaka sensei, who is a coach of the Franch Federation, Daihansih, 9th dan, and kenshi of the French Shorinji Kempo Federation performed a demonstration of Shorinji Kempo. 15,000 people gathered at the prestig-ious Accor Hotels Arena (formerly known as the Palais Omnisport Paris Bercy) on Saturday, March 24 to enjoy the show, which was broadcast on several television channels in European countries. Over 30 styles were represented between 8 p.m. and midnight. The event is organized each year by the biggest martial arts magazine in France, Karate Bushido.

In recent years, people like spectacular demonstrations with speed, power, strength and break tests. Unfortunately, true traditional martial arts are scarcer. However, Shorinji Kempo demonstrates essence of Budo steadily even today.

At the ideal time of 9 p.m., Aosaka sensei, 9th dan, and six kenshi stepped in. Aosaka sensei started off with a demonstration of two shakujo embu with two themes, kaze and kaza guruma. After that, kenshi performed shuteki toho. Aosaka Sensei then came forward once again, performing additional shuteki toho with kenshi. Trusting the enthusiastic applause that followed, the surprised spectators deeply enjoyed the demonstration, which lasted a total of seven minutes. The organizer was also very ap-preciative.

The show went very well. It could be watched on television all throughout Europe, and also was a significant opportunity for Shorinji Kempo. Aosaka sensei has partici-pated in this festival around ten times since 1980.

At age 72, Aosaka sensei was the oldest expert of the event. Shorinji Kempo was widely spread in Europe, thanks to the ongoing efforts of Aosaka Sensei for now half a century.

We hope and believe that Shorinji Kempo will keep growing. To all kenshi of the world, it was a great pleasure.

The 1st Woman Shorinji Kempo Taikai was held in Yogyakarta, Indonesia on April 19-20, 2018. The event was held on April 19 – 20 to remind the born of Raden Ajeng Kartini, one of Indonesian national heroines and aristocrate who had been written that Indonesian women lived under pressure. She was born on April 21st and Indonesian people celebrate it every year. This event was followed by only woman Kenshi and this is the first time in the world of Shorinji Kempo. This event was also held in order to commemorate Christina Siwi Handayani, woman Kenshi, former Chairman of the Provincial Board of Yogyakarta who passed away on August 1, 2013. This event was followed by approximately 200 women Kenshi from branches in Indonesia.

Kartini is well-known to her tenacity and persistence to promote women equality and emancipation. Indonesian women in the past are felt far behind from men in every aspect of human life, speaking of freedom, education, sports, etc

The 2018 France National Taikai and training camp took place on April 14 and 15 in Paris. Over 160 kenshi from France, but also from Belgium, Monaco, Holland, Sweden and even the USA gathered to practice and compete during the embukai. The event was supervised by Aosaka Hiroshi Sensei, 9th dan daihanshi.

Saturday morning

Saturday morning was very sunny in Paris. At 9 a.m., training started with chinkon gyo and taiso. A group of 30 kenshi then separated to take grading examinations, while the remaining kenshi continued practicing techniques with high graded instructors. They studied both goho and juho techniques and had the opportunity to work with kenshi from different branches.

Examination

The examinees were kenshi from minarai to 2nd dan. They all gave their best and succeeded in their respective exams, obtaining ranks from 6th kyu to 3rd dan. Congratulations to all of them!

Gakka

The morning session ended with a gakka by Aosaka Sensei. Particular emphasis was placed on the importance of ichi go ichie (to live every day as though it were last) which is the correct way to apprehend our lives. By taking the time every action requires, no more, no less, we can walk on the path of health, strength, security and friendship.

Saturday afternoon – embukai

The embukai took place in the afternoon. The competition started with a demonstration by Didier Denmat and Frederic Juhel, both 5th dan and received a prize of the best performers in the European Taikai held in Lisboa, Portugal, in october 2015. 13 kyukenshi and 15 yudansha couples competed. The competition ended with three more demonstrations, one by Yuko Irie Beyer (1st dan) and her husband, Olivier Beyer (5th dan), and two by children, to the audience’s delight. Thank you to all participants !

At the end of the day, all kenshi were invited by the French federation to have a social gathering and take some time to deepen friendship. This is also what Shorinji Kempo is for: meeting, getting to know each other, sharing and evolving together. We all had a very pleasant time after this intense first day of the taikai.

Sunday

The training camp continued on Sunday. As on Saturday, it started with chinkon gyo, taiso and kihon followed by pratice in level groups with high graded teachers. Aosaka Sensei was active within each group, often showing techniques himself, to the delight of the participants.

At the end of the training camp, after having changed clothes and said farewell, everyone returned home, looking forward to the next event. This year, the following France national training camp will exceptionally be held in Brussels, Belgium. This will happen on June 16. It was also announced that the next European Taikai will be in Stockholm, Sweden, in July 2019.

We hope to see you there !

Illustration 1: Aosaka Sensei, 9th dan daihanshi and Giovanni Tramontini, deputy national technical director of the French Federation of Karate

For three days from 6 to 8 of April, the 5th Annual Shorinji Kempo Russian Training Camp in Saint-Petersburg (Russia) was held.

All branch masters and kenshies from all Russain branches: Moscow Branch and Sungir Branch (Moscow), Baltika Branch (Saint-Petersburg) and Volga Branch (Nijniy Novgorod) took part in this training camp. Moreover senseis and kenshies from Sweden, Germany and Kyrgyzstan came to Saint-Petersburg to take part in this training camp. Total number of participants were 68 people.

On the first day there were training sessions of randori practice: distance, speed, counterattack, the entrance to the enemy, psychological preparation.

On the second day the participants were divided into 4 groups (minarai-4 kyu, 3-2 kyu, 1 kyu-1 dan, 2 dan+), and there were at first some practice on basic forms, then practice on different go ho and ju ho technics. Also Alex Tilly (sensei from Sweden) gave a lecture: “Thinking man’s martial art”.

On the third day there were also practice on some basic forms, then go ho and ju ho practice in groups, and at last some kumi embu and randori practice. Also Alexei Rokitskii (branch-master of Moscow branch) gave a lecture: “Mediation – the discipline of mind, improving the discipline of the body”.

This time Russian Shorinji Kempo training camp in Saint-Petersburg became one of the participants of the 18th festival “Japanese spring in Saint-Petersburg”. This festival is holding by the General Consulate of Japan in Saint-Petersburg every year. This festival collects different cultural and sport events, which are related with Japan and Japanese culture.
Within the framework of the festival there were held demonstrations of Shorinji Kempo technics on the second day of the training camp. Kenshies and senseis from all Russian branches took part in the demonstrations, also two participants from Germany performed kumi embu.

On December 17th, 2017 has been held in Biznaga Branch Dojo, in the city of Malaga, an Open Day, part of the Christmas activities organized by the Teatinos district.

The day’s practice was very pleasant and very gratifying to see how some people enjoy and learn for the first time Shorinji Kempo. The event was attended by participants and spectators of the district who came to know our art, kenshis of Biznaga Branch and friends of others Shorinji Kempo Branches.

Angel Sensei (Biznaga Branch Master), prepared a varied practice with the intention of showing as much as possible to all those attending the extent of Shorinji Kempo. There was a little bit of everything for the promotion and dissemination of Shorinji Kempo.

The practice began with a good Jumbi Undo consisting of a complete warming and stretching of the entire body. After that, Kihon was executed with movements and combinations where the importance of correct positions and weights of the body was explained.

Began technical partner, alternating Goho (positions, movements, stops, hitting, kicking, etc.) and Juho (projections, dislocations, forms of detention, etc.) from different families and degrees. Gakka is fundamental part in the practice of Shorinji Kempo so, Angel Sensei also explained that Shorinji Kempo is a discipline (gyo) created by Kaiso as a method of human development through personal effort where self-confidence, courage and strength are gained (Jiko Kakuritsu) to obtain collaborative spirit and promote mutual happiness (Jita Kyoraku). The event ended with photos of the group and acknowledgements by the instructor and by the assistants for the opportunity to know the Shorinji Kempo.

For the third year running, following the principle established by Kaiso “think of others’ happiness as well as their own”, SHOKEMA Branch in cooperation with CARRANQUE, BIZNAGA, MALAKA Branch and Themis Association ―a non-profit organization whose main function is integrating immigrants into the culture of Málaga and helping less favored people― have decided to bring Christmas a little closer to those who cannot afford it.

In previous years we succeeded in collecting toys and staple food for these groups. This year we have collected Christmas food that was delivered on November 23 to the members of Themis Association, along with representatives of all the dojos who have devoted their time and effort to reach this wonderful goal that will enable a lot of families to have a merry Christmas.

Kenshi from Auckland Central Branch and North Shore Branch were invited to perform an embu demonstration at the 2017 Japan Day festival of Japanese culture held at The Cloud Events Centre, Queens Wharf, Auckland on 26th February 2017. The event is an annual celebration hosted by The Japanese Society of Auckland and the Consulate –General of Japan in Auckland. The event features Japanese martial arts, cuisine, art , music , dance and popular culture .

Kenshi from both branches had been preparing embus for about a month prior to the event and it was a great opportunity to show to the Auckland public a wide variety of embus including Dantai ( group embu) , senior men and women performing paired embu and shakujo embu as well as children demonstrating basic techniques. It was good to see a number of minarai kenshi who were prepared to demonstrate Tenchken Dai Ikkai in front of a large crowd. We wanted to show that Shorinji Kempo is a martial art which appeals to men , women and children of all ages. The demonstration was well received and as a result we received enquiries from people who were interested in joining Shorinji Kempo.

The last 7th of November the Gasshuku of the 20th anniversary of the foundation of Shokema Association was held at Carranque sport center in Malaga. The event took place from 10.30 am to 6.30 pm and it consisted in practice of chinkon gyo, kihon, goho and juho techniques by grade, randori and self defense.